U.S. patent application number 11/380939 was filed with the patent office on 2007-11-01 for method for configuring a windfarm network.
Invention is credited to Anke Eggengoor, Andre Riesberg.
Application Number | 20070255832 11/380939 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38325433 |
Filed Date | 2007-11-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070255832 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Riesberg; Andre ; et
al. |
November 1, 2007 |
METHOD FOR CONFIGURING A WINDFARM NETWORK
Abstract
A method for automatically configuring a local network in a
windfarm is provided, the method including the steps of (a)
automatically assigning an IP address to a device connected to the
local windfarm network, (b) automatically receiving an identifier
tag from the device, and (c) relating the automatically assigned IP
address of the device to a specific wind turbine in the windfarm
which is identified by said identifier tag.
Inventors: |
Riesberg; Andre;
(Wallenhorst, DE) ; Eggengoor; Anke; (Rheine,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PATRICK W. RASCHE (22402)
ARMSTRONG TEASDALE LLP
ONE METROPOLITAN SQUARE, SUITE 2600
ST. LOUIS
MO
63102-2740
US
|
Family ID: |
38325433 |
Appl. No.: |
11/380939 |
Filed: |
April 30, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
709/226 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L 61/2015 20130101;
Y04S 40/18 20180501; Y02D 30/00 20180101; Y02D 30/30 20180101; H04L
67/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
709/226 |
International
Class: |
G06F 15/173 20060101
G06F015/173 |
Claims
1. A method for automatically configuring a local network in a
windfarm, comprising the steps of (a) automatically assigning an IP
address to a device connected to said local windfarm network, (b)
automatically receiving an identifier tag from said device, and (c)
relating the automatically assigned IP address of the device to a
specific wind turbine in the windfarm which is identified by said
identifier tag.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the identifier tag is
the number or name of the specific wind turbine comprising said
device.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the device sends the
identifier tag on request.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the IP address is
permanently assigned in step (a).
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the IP address is
dynamically assigned in step (a).
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the IP address is
assigned in step (a) using a dynamic host configuration
protocol.
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein steps (a) to (c) are
repeated for some or all devices connected to said local windfarm
network.
8. A method for automatic setup of a local network in a windfarm,
comprising the steps of (a) automatically allocating IP addresses
to a plurality of devices connected to said local windfarm network,
(b) automatically discovering a topology of said local windfarm
network, (c) automatically identifying at least one wind turbine
subnetwork, (d) receiving an identifier tag for said at least one
wind turbine subnetwork, and (e) relating the automatically
allocated IP addresses of the devices comprised in that at least
one wind turbine subnetwork to the wind turbine identified by said
identifier tag.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the identifier tag
contains the number and/or name of the wind turbine comprising the
subnetwork.
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein said identifier tag is
received from a device within said wind turbine subnetwork.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said device is a wind
turbine switch.
12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said device a wind
turbine controller.
13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the IP addresses are
dynamically allocated using a DHCP.
14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of
discovering the topology of the network includes also the detection
of the device numbers of the discovered devices.
15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, in step (e), the
identifier tags are read from a database relating device numbers to
individual wind turbines and the automatically allocated IP
addresses are related to the identified wind turbines.
16. The method according to claim 8, wherein an LLDP is used in
step (b).
17. A windfarm network, comprising an identifier tag sending device
which is adapted to send an identifier tag so that the IP address
of a device connected to said windfarm network is uniquely related
to a specific wind turbine in said windfarm via said identifier
tag.
18. The windfarm network according to claim 17, wherein the
identifier tag sending device is a wind turbine switch or a wind
turbine controller.
19. The windfarm network according to claim 17, wherein the
identifier tag sending device contains a database relating device
numbers of devices connected to said windfarm network to specific
wind turbines comprising said devices.
20. The windfarm network according to claim 17, wherein the devices
connected to said windfarm network are adapted for DHCP and LLDP.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a method for configuring a
windfarm network. The present invention further relates to a
windfarm network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Wind turbines for wind power generation are typically
grouped into so-called windfarms or wind parks comprising from only
a few wind turbines up to large numbers. Especially, large
off-shore wind farms are projected comprising up to hundred wind
turbines or more. Since during recent years regenerative wind
energy production increased considerably, it is expected that the
number of wind turbines in a wind farm will also increase.
[0003] Typically, wind farms have a centralized control unit that
allows monitoring and control of the wind farm. Each of the wind
turbines in a wind farm is connected to this centralized control
via a windfarm local area network (LAN). Also, each of the turbines
includes a number of devices like controllers, sensors or the like
which are connected to the windfarm network. Typically, these
devices are connected to a central switch of the wind turbine.
[0004] For the communication inside the windfarm LAN and also for
communication with a host outside the windfarm, e.g. at a remote
control center, typically the Internet Protocol standard (IP) is
used. IP is a network layer protocol in the internet protocol suite
and is an upper layer protocol that also provides globally unique
addresses (e.g., MAC address for Ethernet) but two of these
addresses will not necessarily be able to communicate to each
other. IP adds a service on top of these data link layer protocols
that provides the ability to uniquely identify with and communicate
with any other device on the network.
[0005] Therefore, each device connected to the windfarm LAN
requires an IP address for communication. In computer networking,
an IP address (internet protocol address) is a unique number that
devices use in order to identify and communicate with each other on
a network utilizing the Internet Protocol standard (IP). Any
participating network device--including switches, controllers,
sensors--requires its own unique address.
[0006] In principle, there are two methods of assigning IP
addresses to devices: dynamic and static. Dynamic IP addresses are
assigned for a variable length of time. In order to use a dynamic
IP address, a service such as Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
(DHCP) is used to assign an address to the requesting network
device. The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is a
client-server networking protocol providing a mechanism for
allocation of IP addresses to client hosts. However, if DHCP is
used for allocating IP addresses in a windfarm network the
correlation between devices and wind turbines is lost. Therefore,
it cannot be determined to which specific turbine a device belongs
and, accordingly, also which devices belong to the same turbine.
However, it is important to reliably and correctly identify a
specific wind turbine in a wind park and its built-in
components.
[0007] For this reason, currently the network settings in a
windfarm network are done manually. In particular, the static IP
addresses are manually assigned to the devices according to a
predetermined static numbering scheme. This work consumes a large
amount of time and may need even weeks to be finished for large
windfarms. Also, the manual assignment process is error-prone. In
particular, it may happen that the same IP address is assigned
twice or that no IP address is assigned to a component of a wind
turbine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In view of the above, a method for automatically configuring
a local network in a windfarm is provided. The method includes the
steps of (a) automatically assigning an IP address to a device
connected to the local windfarm network, (b) automatically
receiving an identifier tag from the device, and (c) relating the
automatically assigned IP address of the device to a specific wind
turbine in the windfarm which is identified by said identifier
tag.
[0009] Thus, the manual process of assigning IP addresses in a
windfarm can be automated. At the same time, the identifier tag
allows to associate a device IP address to a specific wind turbine
in the windfarm. Thus, it can be determined which devices belong to
the same specific turbine. As a result, the network configuration
can be done within hours instead of weeks. Furthermore, the network
setup can be remotely controlled from a control center where
technical experts may have access to the setup process.
[0010] Further aspects, advantages and features of the present
invention are apparent from the dependent claims, the description
and the accompanying drawings.
[0011] According to a first aspect of the invention, a method for
self-configuration of a windfarm network is provided. The method
includes the steps of (a) automatically allotting an IP address to
a component linked to the windfarm network, (b) automatically
obtaining an ID marker from the component, and (c) matching the
automatically obtained IP address of the component to an individual
wind energy plant in the windfarm, the wind energy plant being
specified by the ID marker. Thus, the manual process of assigning
IP addresses in a windfarm can be automated while the ID marker
enables an operator to associate a component's IP address with an
individual wind energy plant. As a result, the network
configuration can be done within hours instead of weeks.
Furthermore, the network setup can be remotely controlled from a
control center where technical experts may have access to the setup
process.
[0012] According to another aspect of the present invention, a
method for the automatic configuration of a network in a windfarm
is provided. The method includes the steps of automatically
assigning IP addresses to components within the windfarm network,
automatically determining the link structure of the windfarm
network, automatically identifying subnetworks, receiving ID labels
of the subnetworks, and attributing the automatically assigned IP
addresses of the components belonging to a subnetwork to a wind
turbine designated by said identifier tag.
[0013] According to an even further aspect of the present
invention, a windfarm network is provided, wherein the windfarm
network includes an ID marker transmitter which is adapted to
transmit an ID marker over the network so that the IP address of a
component connected to the network is unambiguously associated with
a specified wind turbine of the windfarm by the ID marker.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention,
including the best mode thereof, to one of ordinary skill in the
art, is set forth more particularly in the remainder of the
specification, including reference to the accompanying figures
wherein:
[0015] FIG. 1 shows a windfarm network.
[0016] FIG. 2 shows an internal network of a wind turbine.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a configuration process according
to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a configuration process according
to another embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a windfarm network according to
an embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a setup process according to a
further aspect of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a setup process according to a
further embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a setup process according to an
even further embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a windfarm network showing a
first step in a setup process according to an embodiment of the
present invention.
[0024] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a further step in the
setup process according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0025] FIG. 11 shows the configuration of an LLDP package.
[0026] FIG. 12 shows a windfarm network according to an aspect of
the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] Reference will now be made in detail to the various
embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are
illustrated in the figures. Each example is provided by way of
explanation of the invention, and is not meant as a limitation of
the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as
part of one embodiment can be used on or in conjunction with other
embodiments to yield yet a further embodiment. It is intended that
the present invention includes such modifications and
variations.
[0028] FIG. 1 shows a windfarm network. Therein, a windfarm
comprises several wind turbines 200. The wind turbines 200 are
connected with each other via a windfarm LAN 300. The windfarm LAN
300 is also connected to a remote control center 100. Each wind
turbine 200 can be accessed from remote control center 100 via
windfarm LAN 300. Remote control center 100 includes a host 110 for
accessing windfarm LAN 300. Typically, windfarm LAN 300 is
connected to control center 300 via a secure internet connection,
e.g. a VPN tunnel. Of course, windfarm LAN 300 may also be
connected to control center 100 via a separate cable
connection.
[0029] FIG. 2 shows a typical internal network of a wind turbine
200. Therein, wind turbine 200 includes a wind turbine switch 210.
Switch 210 is adapted for handling the communication of internal
devices 220, 230 of the wind turbine 200 with the network
environment of wind turbine 200. Furthermore, wind turbine 200
includes a turbine controller 220 and various sensors 230 like
vibration sensors, icing detectors, load detectors, voltage and
current sensors etc. These sensors may be connected to turbine
controller 220 and/or switch 210. Thus, switch 210, turbine
controller 220 and the sensors 230 form an internal subnetwork of
the wind turbine 200. Typically, this internal subnetwork is
connected to the windfarm network via switch 210.
[0030] Next, a configuration process of a windfarm network
according to an embodiment of the present invention is described
with simultaneous reference to FIGS. 3 and 5. FIG. 3 is a flowchart
of the configuration process according to the embodiment of the
present invention and FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a windfarm
network according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the
configuration process according to the present embodiment, an IP
address is first assigned automatically to a device connected to
the windfarm network, e.g. a switch 210 (Step S301). This can be
done either statically or dynamically but is done automatically.
This is also shown in FIG. 5, where a server assigns an IP address
to Device 1. Next, an identifier tag is received from the device
(S302). Typically, the identifier tag includes the name and/or
number of the wind turbine. The device may send the identifier tag
automatically after receipt of the IP address or may wait for a
special request to send the identifier tag. After the identifier
tag is received, the wind turbine in which the device is located
can be determined from the identifier tag (S303). Finally, the
assigned IP address of the device can be related to a specific wind
turbine within the windfarm (S304). Thus, the manual process of
assigning IP addresses in a windfarm can be automated so that the
failure rate is reduced. At the same time, the identifier tag
allows to associate the device IP address to a specific wind
turbine in the windfarm. Thus, it can be easily and reliably
determined to which of the wind turbines a device belongs.
[0031] Furthermore, the above process including steps S301 to 304
may be repeated for other devices in the windfarm network. As shown
in FIG. 5, the process may be executed for every device through
Device 1 to Device n. As a result, the configuration of the
complete windfarm network can be done within hours instead of
weeks. Furthermore, the network setup can be remotely controlled
from a control center where technical experts may have access to
the setup process. Moreover, it can be easily determined which
devices are components of the same wind turbine since the IP
addresses of the devices are related to individual wind turbines in
the windfarm.
[0032] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a configuration process according
to a specific implementation of the above described configuration
process. Therein, the IP address is dynamically assigned to a
device using a DHCP and a DCHP server (S401). In the second step,
the number of the wind turbine is received from the device (S402)
and the wind turbine is identified by means of this wind turbine
number (S403). Finally, the IP address of the device is related to
the identified wind turbine. Of course, this process may be
repeated for other devices connected to the windfarm network.
[0033] Next, a setup process according to another aspect of the
present invention is described with reference to FIG. 6 showing a
flowchart of such a setup process. In the configuration process
according to the present embodiment, an IP address is first
allocated automatically to a device connected to the windfarm
network, e.g. a switch 210 (Step S601). This can be done either
statically or dynamically but is done automatically. In the next
step of the setup process, the network topology of the windfarm
network is determined (Step S602). Thus, the structure if links
between the devices connected to the windfarm LAN is discovered. In
a next step, subnetworks are identified within the windfarm network
(S603). Typically, the subnetworks correspond to wind turbines as
has been described above with respect to FIG. 2. However, also
other subnetworks may be included in the windfarm network, e.g. a
subnetwork of a central windfarm control unit. Next, an identifier
tag is received from the subnetwork (S604). Typically, the
identifier tag includes the name and/or number of the wind turbine
corresponding to the subnetwork. After the identifier tag is
received, the wind turbine in which the subnetwork is located can
be determined from the identifier tag. Finally, the IP addresses of
the devices within the subnetwork can be related to a specific wind
turbine within the windfarm (S605). Thus, the setup process of
manually assigning IP addresses to devices in a windfarm can be
automated. As a result, the configuration of the complete windfarm
network can be done within hours instead of weeks and the failure
rate can be reduced. Furthermore, the network setup can be remotely
controlled from a control center where technical experts may have
access to the setup process. Moreover, it can be easily determined
which devices are components of the same wind turbine. Finally, the
complete windfarm network topology is automatically determined so
that the location of defect or replaced components can be
automatically detected.
[0034] FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a setup process according to a
specific implementation of the above described setup process.
Therein, the IP addresses are dynamically assigned to the devices
within the windfarm network using a DHCP (Step S701). This is also
shown in FIG. 9 in which a DCHP server dynamically assigns IP
addresses to devices. However, it is apparent from FIG. 9 that the
network topology is not known at this stage. In the next step of
the setup process, the network topology of the windfarm network is
automatically determined using a link layer discovery protocol LLDP
(Step S702).
[0035] The link layer discovery protocol LLDP is a vendor-neutral
Layer 2 protocol that allows a network device to send information
about itself to its neighbors and to receive such information from
its neighbors. The received information can be stored in a LLDP
management information base (LLDP MIB). The information stored in
the LLDP MIB can be accessed by a network management station (NMS)
via SNMP (simple network management protocol). The LLDP was
formally ratified as IEEE standard 802.1AB-2005 in May 2005. The
structure of a LLDP package is shown in FIG. 11. The LLDP package
starts with a header containing an IEEE destination MAC address, a
source MAC address and an LLDP Ethertype followed by an LLDP data
unit. The LLDP DU contains information blocks encoded in a type
length value (TLV) format. Compulsory information includes a
chassis ID of the device, a port ID of the device, a time-to-live,
and an END block. Between the time-to-live block and the END block
several optional blocks TLV 1 to TLV n may be provided. Optional
blocks TLV 1 to TLV n may include additional user-defined
information, e.g. a wind turbine name and/or number.
[0036] The step S702 of discovering the network topology is also
shown in FIG. 10. Therein, it can be seen that an LLDP server,
which is typically identical with the DHCP server of Step S701,
starts to discover its neighbors and that each of its neighbors
discovers its respective neighbors. Thus, the network topology is
discovered. In the next step, wind turbine subnetworks are
identified in that wind turbine switches are identified from the
LLDP information (Step S703), wherein wind turbine numbers are
received from the switches (Step S704). Typically, the wind turbine
number of a specific wind turbine including the switch is included
in one or more of the optional TLVs, i.e. in TLV 1 to TLV n of the
LLDP DU. Since each of the switches uniquely corresponds to a
specific turbine, the subnetwork downstream the switch can be
related to that specific wind turbine. Thus, also the IP addresses
of the devices contained in the subnetwork of this specific wind
turbine can be related to the identified turbine (Step S705).
[0037] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a setup process according to an
alternative implementation of the above described setup process.
Therein, the steps of dynamically allocating IP addresses using
DHCP (Step 801), discovering the network topology using LLDP (Step
S802), and identifying wind turbine subnetworks by identifying
turbine switches (Step S803) are basically identical to the steps
described before. Different from the setup process described
hereinbefore, in the present implementation the LLDP DU does not
contain a reference to the wind turbine number. However, the device
number of the wind turbine switch, e.g. the chassis ID, is received
in the LLDP package (Step S804). Next, an identifier tag
corresponding to the switch device number is read from a database
(Step S806). On the basis of this identifier tag, the wind turbine
including the switch can be reliably identified (Step S806). Thus,
the IP addresses of the devices in the subnetwork corresponding to
the switch can be related to the identified wind turbine.
[0038] FIG. 12 shows a windfarm network which is adapted to carry
out the above-described process. In particular, a database 120 is
connected to an LLDP server 110. Database 120 contains information
relating device numbers of devices connected to the windfarm
network to specific wind turbines including the devices. When LLDP
server 110 receives a device number, e.g. the chassis ID, in the
LLDP package, it reads an identifier tag corresponding to the
device number from the database. On the basis of this identifier
tag, the wind turbine including the device is reliably identified.
Thus, the IP addresses of the devices in the subnetwork
corresponding to the switch are related to the identified wind
turbine. It should be understood that in the context of the present
invention the devices used in the wind turbines and in the windfarm
network are typically adapted for DHCP and LLDP.
[0039] Although in the different implementations described above
the subnetwork was identified by identifying the wind turbine
switch, it should be understood that the wind turbine subnetwork
may alternatively or in addition also be identified via another
device installed in the wind turbine. Especially, the subnetwork
may be identified by identifying the wind turbine controller. In
this case, the wind turbine controller may include a memory card on
which the identifier tag for the turbine is stored. According to
another embodiment of the present invention, one or more extra
network devices for sending an identifier tag may be installed in
each of the wind turbines.
[0040] This written description uses examples to disclose the
invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person
skilled in the art to make and use the invention. While the
invention has been described in terms of various specific
embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the
invention can be practiced with modification within the spirit and
scope of the claims. Especially, mutually non-exclusive features of
the embodiments described above may be combined with each other.
The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and
may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art.
Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the
claims of they have structural elements that do not differ from the
literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent
structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal
languages of the claims.
* * * * *